Thermostatic controller for gas water heaters



July 1 1924.

B. RYAN THERMOSTATIC CONTROLLER FOR GAS WATER HEATERS Filed Nov.- 29. 1920 2 Sheets-Sheet l 1M vm E mm x. W Mm mm E. 3 M -N 6 Fully 1 1924. 1,499,947

B. RYAN THERMOSTATIC CONTROLLER FOR GAS WATER HEATERS Filed Nov. 29 1920 2 Sheets-S heev. 2 W 4.

Patented July 19:24.-

STATES- IBERNABD RYAN, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

THERMOSTATIG CONTROLLER FOR GAS WATER HEATERS.

Application filed November 29, 1820. Serial No. 427,257.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, BERNARD RYAN, a subject of the King of Great Britain, and resident of the cityand State of New York, in the United States of America, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Thermostatic Controllers for Gas Water Heaters, as described in the following specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

The principal objects of the invention are, to improve the construction of thermostatic controllers for gas water heaters so as to facilitate manufacture, reducing the cost and to enable-rapid and accurate adjustment being made, and further to ensure the positive operation of the device at all times.

- A still further object is to protect the valve and valve seat from being fouled while the control device is in transit.

The principal feature of the invention consists in the novel construction and arrangement of parts, whereby the valve and valve supporting members may be removed from their operating position to enable the cleans-. ing of the valve and valve seat without disturbing the adjustment and whereby the maximum length of bearing supports for the operating levers is obtained.

The present invention is a further im-' provement in the structure of the type of thermostatic control wherein the valve is re tained closed by magnetic force and is opened by the operation of a multiple leverage actuated by a thermostat.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a longitudinal mid-sectional view of the controller, the threaded plug being shown in full lines.

Figure 2 is a cross sectional view through the line 22 of Figure 1 showing a spring for temporarily holding the valve in shipin P F igure 3 is a plan view with the cover removed showing one of the bearings in section.

Figure 4 is a plan view showing a portion of the cover.

In my improved construction the base 1 is preferably formed of a die casting 1n aluminum ha-vlng the brass ferrule 2 cast into the boss 3. The outer-end 4 of the ferrule is threaded externally to fit into the water chamber and it is provided with an internally threaded recess 5 to receive the threaded end of the thermostat tube 6 which tube is usually formed of copper and contains a rod 7 of a comparatively inextensible material suchas carbon. The provision of a brass ferrule connection between the aluminum casing and the copper tube is necessary in order to avoid electrolysis which would be destructive to both the copper and aluminum.

Adjacent to the bos 3 the base 1 is provided with a threaded opening 8 to which is connected the gas supply pipe and at the other end of this opening is formed a recess 9 into which is fitted the annular valve seat 10 formed of a soft metal such as a lead composition. This seat is formed tapered and is pressed into the recess 9.

It will be seen that the gas outlet is arranged close to the main support of the casing, namely, the ferrule 2 and this arrangement practically eliminatesjhe possibility of workmen distorting the mechanism in attaching it to the pipes owing to the rigidity of the large body of metal in the supporting boss which extends around the threaded opening 8. The gas inlet opening 11 i also arranged in the base 1, the whole unit being formed in a single die casting. The magnet 12 which is of the horseshoe type is supported upon the top of the base, the closed end being arranged above the boss 3.

Arranged at either side of the ferrule 2 are a pair of lugs 13 formed integral with the base and each having a transverse opening therethrough arranged in alignment in which a bearing pin 14 is secured. This pin is threaded into one of the lugs and passes freely through the other having a slotted end to enable its removal.

Supported upon the pin 14 between said lugs is a bifurcated lever 15 preferably formed with parallel sides which are connected at the outer end by a cross bar 16 and a pair of lugs 17 extend upwardly from the ends. These lugs are each provided with transverse holes in which a pivot pin 18 is secured, said pin being threaded into one of the lugs and having the end slotted to enable its removal.

Pivotally mounted upon the pin 18 is a lever 19 having a forked end 20 extending above the gas outlet.8 the other end extend-- ing toward the other end of the casing, this end being split vertically and having a screw 21 extending therethrough to support the looped end of a coil tension spring 22. j The forked end of the lever 19 carries va steel armature 23 which is supported over the ends of the magnet 12 and between the armature and the pivot 18 the lever is formed with an opening 24.

A bracket 25 is arranged between the parallel sides of the bifurcated lever 15 and forms a bridge member extending over the gas outlet, the centre portion being spaced .thereabove and the ends being secured to in the armature 23 and a pair of adjustin nuts 31 are arranged on the upper end 0 the stem. The bracket 25 is adapted to limit the upward movement of the valve. 7

It will be seen from this description that if for any reason it is necessary to clean the valve or valve seat, it will not be necessary to disturb the adjustment of the valve in relation to the armature as the screws holding the brackets 25 may be readily removed and'the pivot pin 18 withdrawn allowing the lever to be lifted to enable free access to the valve and seat. The operative connection between the lever 19 and the lever 15 is established through a lever 32 which is pivotally supported upon a pin 33 secured in the lugs 34 formed 011 the base and the short end of the lever 32 is adapted to engage the cross bar 16, of the lever 15. The outer end is forked to receive the lower looped end of the spring 22 and is secured by means of the screw 35.

The lever 15 is operated by the thermostat rod through the screw member 36 extending perpendicularly therethrough and engaging the upper end of the rod 7. This screwis adjustable having a slotted arm 37 connected to the top end and said arm is operated from the exterior of the device as will hereinafter appear but no claim is made upon this form of adjustment as, it is already known in the art.

The cover 38 is formed of a single die casting of aluminum having a flange 39 secured to the base by the screws 40. The cover is provided with a boss 41 in which is rotatably mounted a spindle 42 suitably packed to prevent the escape of gas and to the inner end of this spindle is secured an arm 43 having a pin 44 adapted to engage the slotted arm 37.

An indicator finger 45 is secured in the outer end of the spindle 42 by means of which the adjustment is made.

The cover is provided with a boss 46 arranged in alignment with the gas outlet opening 8, said boss having a threaded opening therein closed by a threaded plug 47.

being merely used to protect the valve seat from damage.

It will be seen that a construction such as described minimizes the machine work, it being merely necessary to thread the holes in' the various lugs for the pivot and fastening screws and to assemble the various parts together. The valve is then adjusted by means of the nuts on the valve spindle in relation to the adjustment of the screw 36 and once this adjustment is made it need not be disturbed.

The pivot pins are made of non-corrosive metal and as the working parts are all made of aluminum they will not corrode in the gas, consequently the device will not become inoperable even though it may be not operated for long periods and in the event of it being necessary to clean the device the construction allows of its being done with the minimum loss of time.

What I claim as my invention is 1. In a thermostatic controller for gas water heaters, an elongated easing, a thermostat connected at one end of said casing, a gas outlet arranged closely adjacent to said thermostat, a valve controlling the outlet, and a plurality of levers extending past said outlet operated by said thermostat and controlling said outlet valve.

2. In a thermostatic controller for gas water heaters, a casing having a gas inlet at one end and an outlet intermediate of its length, a thermostat arranged at the end of the casing opposite to the inlet, a bifurcated lever operated by the thermostat and extending past the outlet, a lever pivoted on the end of the aforesaid lever farthest from the thermostat and extending over the outlet, a'valve controlling the outlet connected with the latter lever through said bifurcated lever, and magnetic means for controlling the movement of the latter lever.

3. In a thermostatic controller for gas water heaters, a casing having a gas inlet at one end and an outlet intermediate of its length, a thermostat arranged at the end of the casing opposite to the inlet, a bifurcated lever operated by the thermostat and extending past the outlet, a lever pivoted on the end of the aforesaid lever farthest from the thermostat and extending over the outlet, a valve controlling the outlet connected with the latter lever, magnetic means forcontrolling the movement of the latter lever, and a bracket extending longitudinally of the casing and removably secured over the outlet and between the sides of the bifurcated lever and forming a means for limiting the upward movement of the valve.

4. A thermostatic controller for gas water heaters of the type wherein a multiplicity of levers is operated by the thermostat in co operation with a magnet and armature to control the valve, comprising a base formed with a pair of lugs arranged adjacent to the thermostat, a pivot pin supported in said lugs, a lever pivoted upon said pin and having a pair oflu 's at its opposite end, a pivot pin extending tween-the lugs of said lever, a lever pivoted intermediate of its length upon the latter pivot pin, a third lever pivotally-suported intermediate of its length from said base and resiliently connected with the secl ond lever at one end and having its other end engaging the first lever, an armature secured to the second lever, a magnet cooperating with said armature, and a valve closing the gas outlet and connected with the second lever.

5. In a thermostatic controller for gas water heaters, the combination with the easingand a valve closing the gas outlet, of a removable plug secured in the casing above the valve, and resilient means arranged between the plug and the valve for tempo rarily holding the valve to its seat.

6. In a thermostatic controller for gas water heaters, the combination with the casing and a valve closing the gas outlet, of a removable plu secured in the casing above the valve an having a central recess in the inner end, a spiral compression spring adapted to be temporarily seated in the plug and to encircle the valve stem to hold the valve to its seat.

BERNARD RYAN. 

